Yeah I feel aligned with your thought process. I’m a recovering people pleaser ..so naturally that slipped into workoholism many times in my life, though I can see it was more of a by-product. The core of my conditioning was the uncertainty of my own place in this world, which comes from low self- worth. It feels ugly to say that each time I come to that conclusion, and it feels quite sad, I’m sad for my inner little girl, that that is the point from which I lived most of my life, but I have been learning to dose myself with a load of self-compassion each time I encounter it. I guess out of your examples, the victim and the hard worker were my labels mostly. I’m unlearning a lot :)
I relate to that, Jana! We all have a lot of unlearning to do. And we all have these little girls and boys within us. We need to become aware of them, see them, cuddle them, love them and then connect to our truest self- the one that sees them.
This is an excellent topic for exploration. It goes along with examining the phrase, "Do what you love and the money will follow." Will it? Maybe, maybe not. I feel that trendy motto, along with "Do what you love/Love what you do," is a stepping stone. A bridge philosophy. A way for individuals to start thinking of possibilities.
And, then, I agree with what you've mentioned: Loving Who You Are/How You are Being. Until that foundation is established, one can not even recognize whether one feels good or bad in any situation.
What I believe you are pointing to, ultimately, Natalia, is a deeper trap. That trap is the focus on doing rather than being, period. And, I'd like to go deeper in naming the trap that focusing on outcomes ("if I do x this will lead to y") of any sorts, is a setup. One realizes the peace one is seeking by purely being in the Now, as you mention - from moment to moment. Seeing what is unfolding. Dropping in. Being in Flow, or what I call engaged mind, or working mind (non-separate from past or future), no matter what is being worked on. And without attachment to the outcome.
There are many threads to your conversation. You've made an excellent foray here - focusing on being rather than doing, period. Thank you.
Indeed, ultimately it is about being and doing. It is also about the identification with who we truly are being vs. the identification with what we do and what we achieve. I am also hoping to bring awareness to thingswe keep repeating because they sound good without realizing what they actually mean in their totality. Thank you for reading and reflecting!
Yes, the shift is so subtle and yet so profound. I remember when I left my 20-years corporate executive career, it took me a while to un-identify with who I was these 20 years. We are so used to measure ourselves with what we do, the title we hold, the neighborhood we live in, the education we have,... the list goes on. And we are so much bigger and greater than any of these labels. It just take some curiosity and courage to look beyound the labels and discover the true self.
I love this. I am retired, so I don’t have to worry about work, but I am going to try to remember more frequently to pay attention to WHO I AM BEING, regardless of what is going on around me. Thank you for sharing this viewpoint.
I was thinking about the whole "retired" label and identity. It comes with a lot of scenarios and limitations in people's minds. And here again, it becomes so useful to not identify with what we do or don't do, but instead with who we are being. Thank you for bringing that whole aspect- it adds to the richness of the whole idea. Thank you!
Yeah I feel aligned with your thought process. I’m a recovering people pleaser ..so naturally that slipped into workoholism many times in my life, though I can see it was more of a by-product. The core of my conditioning was the uncertainty of my own place in this world, which comes from low self- worth. It feels ugly to say that each time I come to that conclusion, and it feels quite sad, I’m sad for my inner little girl, that that is the point from which I lived most of my life, but I have been learning to dose myself with a load of self-compassion each time I encounter it. I guess out of your examples, the victim and the hard worker were my labels mostly. I’m unlearning a lot :)
I relate to that, Jana! We all have a lot of unlearning to do. And we all have these little girls and boys within us. We need to become aware of them, see them, cuddle them, love them and then connect to our truest self- the one that sees them.
Very true.. I feel the compassion is generated from the One who sees.
This is an excellent topic for exploration. It goes along with examining the phrase, "Do what you love and the money will follow." Will it? Maybe, maybe not. I feel that trendy motto, along with "Do what you love/Love what you do," is a stepping stone. A bridge philosophy. A way for individuals to start thinking of possibilities.
And, then, I agree with what you've mentioned: Loving Who You Are/How You are Being. Until that foundation is established, one can not even recognize whether one feels good or bad in any situation.
What I believe you are pointing to, ultimately, Natalia, is a deeper trap. That trap is the focus on doing rather than being, period. And, I'd like to go deeper in naming the trap that focusing on outcomes ("if I do x this will lead to y") of any sorts, is a setup. One realizes the peace one is seeking by purely being in the Now, as you mention - from moment to moment. Seeing what is unfolding. Dropping in. Being in Flow, or what I call engaged mind, or working mind (non-separate from past or future), no matter what is being worked on. And without attachment to the outcome.
There are many threads to your conversation. You've made an excellent foray here - focusing on being rather than doing, period. Thank you.
Indeed, ultimately it is about being and doing. It is also about the identification with who we truly are being vs. the identification with what we do and what we achieve. I am also hoping to bring awareness to thingswe keep repeating because they sound good without realizing what they actually mean in their totality. Thank you for reading and reflecting!
YES! Bringing awareness to things that sound good without reflecting deeper. Clichés, pop psychology...and other propaganda!
I love your work.
Thank you, Erin. It's mutual!
Love the subtle shift. It has certainly made me think and matters to me in this moment
Yes, the shift is so subtle and yet so profound. I remember when I left my 20-years corporate executive career, it took me a while to un-identify with who I was these 20 years. We are so used to measure ourselves with what we do, the title we hold, the neighborhood we live in, the education we have,... the list goes on. And we are so much bigger and greater than any of these labels. It just take some curiosity and courage to look beyound the labels and discover the true self.
Love it...as always resonating deeply with this.
Keep it coming Natalia.
Akhil Kishore
Thank you, Akhil! I will. Thank you for reading!
I love this. I am retired, so I don’t have to worry about work, but I am going to try to remember more frequently to pay attention to WHO I AM BEING, regardless of what is going on around me. Thank you for sharing this viewpoint.
I was thinking about the whole "retired" label and identity. It comes with a lot of scenarios and limitations in people's minds. And here again, it becomes so useful to not identify with what we do or don't do, but instead with who we are being. Thank you for bringing that whole aspect- it adds to the richness of the whole idea. Thank you!
Thank you, Sydney. I am happy it resonates!